Why Hybrid Icing May Be "One and Done" in DCHL

By Commissioner Suds

Just like the NHL, DCHL implemented a “hybrid” icing rule this season. Enough of the Board of Governors wanted to try it. And despite some slight reservations I had, I signed off on it for this season.

Halfway through the season, I can now look back at this “hybrid” icing rule and give you my feedback.

First of all, I like the hybrid icing rule’s base concept. I get it. I think it is well meant.  And I think it works well in the NHL.

However, if I had to vote right now (and I do have VETO power), I would vote against bringing “hybrid” icing back and would prefer to return to international no touch icing. My main concern is that it is too difficult to call “hybrid icing” correctly with the resources we have --- that is too much to put on officiating staff. But here are the detailed reasons.

1)      In NHL, you have four officials. You have two referees and two linesmen. The two linemen focus solely on offsides and icing. Plus they stay close to the offsides lines. In DCHL, you have two officials only for the most part. They are already serving dual roles as linesmen and referees. They move around more and may not be in position to make quick instantaneous decisions on potential icing.

2)      There is too much judgment involved. As referee, I can tell you that I look for CLEAR winners or potential winners of races to the faceoff circles. Players complain that they are winning races. But in reality unless you are clearly “two to three feet” ahead of a defender, icing should be valid under hybrid icing.  Moreover, as referees we probably have one second or less to do all this to make a potential icing call --- check with the other referee to make sure play is icing “eligible”, watch the race, and then make a quick decision. It is asking too much because the refs are not always at the offsides line. And we cannot make late calls. It leads to rushed decisions where we may not see everything in our vision (and miss players in peripheral vision) that can help us make better decisions.

3)      Hybrid icing favors speed. As I mentioned, speed is a skill and it should be used to as tool to decide games. I get it. However, we do not want our league or teams to focus SIMPLY on speed. We are a recreational league. I can argue that hybrid icing favors speed a little too much. I don’t think it is overkill and I would not vote against it for this reason solely. But I do think we would be going the wrong way when we emphasize speed only. Teams and players will be focused on bringing in just speed players to the game. I am not sure I am comfortable with this thought.

4)      All of our officials (even with all their ice hockey background) have slightly different interpretations and how they call “hybrid icing”. I have worked with them all. No one is right or wrong. There is a lot of gray area. It is subjective. But when there is so much gray area, I tend to stay away from those rules as Commissioner. These are the rules that lead to contentious environment. I want to minimize the gray areas in the rulebook, not add to it.

For these reasons, at this point in time (it might change later), I would vote against bringing hybrid icing back next season.


CURRENT ICING RULE

The DCHL employs hybrid icing procedures. Icing occurs when a defensive player shoots the ball from within his/her own center line/half of the surface past the opposing team’s imaginary line connecting the two faceoff circles in the opponent’s defensive zone without it being touched by a teammate or by an opponent. 

NOTE: No-touch icing will be applying when a player clears the ball as described above and, in the opinion of the Referee, there is no attacking player with a reasonable chance of reaching the ball before the defensive player.

There are four cases where icing is WAIVED OFF:

1. If an opponent, in judgment of the officials, could reasonably have touched or played the ball before it crosses the imaginary line connecting the two faceoff circles in the opponent’s defensive zone (actual attempt and hustle/effort is required to play the ball and not necessarily contact with the ball)
2. If the ball enters the opposing goalie crease without it being touched,
3. If the team that initiated the icing is SHORTHANDED (killing a penalty)
4. If the offensive player is CLEARLY ahead of any of the opponent’s player in a theoretical race to the imaginary line connecting the two faceoff circles in the opponent’s defensive zone.   

NOTE: All icing infractions in third period on a team with 2 goal lead or more will also carry a Delay of Game penalty (2 minute minor)

for Illegal Icing. This is to ensure that teams do not get a lead and then just “sit back” and dump the ball killing the rolling clock. This is not within the spirits of the game.